The Tales of Greenwood: Civil Reclamation
by Badhorsesmare
Summary: The Greenwood Abbey stands between Whiterun, Falkreath, Riften and Cyrodill. A place of peace and spiritual reflection, no longer able to keep out of the civil conflict. Tullius and Ulfric now martyrs and the influence of the Thalmor slowly being revealed. The Abbess must find a way to help but keep the sanctity of her order intact. Hope you like! M for Possible graphic battle.
1. Chapter 1

Excerpt from the Greenwood Abbey's records 4E 204.

 _Fredas, 13th of Midyear_

It's almost two weeks into the season and we haven't had a drop of rain since the end of Second Seed. The poor crops would have withered away to nothing already if it wasn't for the Abbey pond, which has shrunk considerably in this drought. It hasn't helped that we've had to haul buckets upon buckets out to the fields and orchard to quench our parched plants. Thank the divines that there is no shortage of abled bodies around to help, although no matter how abled a body is that trek back and forth gets tiring very quickly.

Mother Abbess assures us that even if we were to have no harvest at all, the larders are sufficiently stocked to cope with two or three years of droughts. I think our dear Abbess wishes to alleviate all fears concerning the larder by insisting that the Mid year festival is held regardless of our trepidations on the state of our stock. Most of the elders still find the lack of a single harvest to be unsettling, myself included. They feel that with the addition of all the refugees and orphans; who've fled their homes and farms, our tunic belts are strained to point of bursting. Indeed since the death of General Tullius and Jarl Ulfric a few short months later, this conflict seems to have grown far more volatile.

Including Palin who arrived at our main gate 3 days ago, we now are in care of 15 orphans. Two of which are older than 10 the other 12 range from 3-7. Taking their food requirements into account is bad enough but tack on the Chirllow family, the Mistbrooks and the Stormrages totalling 16 people, and the 27 of us brothers and sister we have a veritable city here. Our poor Abbess has had a lot of work on her hands trying to get everyone comfortable. Thankfully the three families have helped Brother Olokun out keeping the orphans out of trouble and happy. They balked upon first meeting the "dibbun wrangler" but he was quite used to it by now. An orsimer nanny isn't something you see everyday. Many of us were opposed to the idea in the beginning, as I recall he didn't seem too keen on it either standing their like a snake among stoats. But caring for children seemed to be the reason why the blessed divines placed him here, he took to it like moth to flame.

I hope you'll excuse me but I must put aside my elderly ramblings. Lunch is on it's way, I can see Cherish through the window, oh bless her. What a kind young lady to help help such a rickety old man as me.

 _Brother Sinistra  
Greenwood Abbey Recorder_


	2. Chapter 2

_(_ _ **Writers Note: They say that dialogue is the hardest thing to write and they weren't kidding. I'm trying to make it sound organic but i'm not sure if I'm getting through. Please feel free to provide any and all criticism and suggestions you might have. I could really use the help.)**_

Brother Sinistra placed his quill in an upright holder at the top of his desk, and sprinkled a few pinches of fine sawdust from a small bowl onto the newly marked page. Shaking it around to cover the ink with practiced ease he called out to his visitor before she could knock. "It's open." Cherish opened the gatehouse door with one hand and held a tottering tray with the other.  
"I've brought you some stew. You didn't come to the dinning hall so I thought I should bring you something before those voracious little waifs ate it all."

The elderly recorder stood up slowly to allow his muscles and joints the time to catch up with the motion. He ambled across the small, one room shack to take the tray from her.  
"My profuse thanks to you child. Oops, my apologies dear...old habits and all." He gestured at a white belt which was tied around her leaf green tunic. She wore brown weaved trousers which covered the tops of her leather boots, the usual garments of the Greenwood order. Brother Sinistra however opted for robes of the same light green material, with the brown belt of an established Greenwood member secured around a rather portly stomach. He relieved her of the tray and went to the far corner where sat another desk piled high with books and scrolls. "Your a sister initiate now. Though not that long ago you were a voracious little waif yourself."  
"By the nine no! I was never that scrawny." Cherish declaimed and joined him at the table helping to clear a space. The now teenage woman looked nothing like the six year old girl who was picked up out of the streets in Falkreath over a decade ago. Sinistra thought, wryly, for a moment of the difference time makes one everyone. Where Akatosh had given her a fine balance of beauty and grace, it had only given him rheumatism and gout.  
"We all feel that way as the seasons pass." Together they managed to clear a space just large enough to fit the tray. He continued his musing as he pulled out the hard backed chair to sit. "Time has a way of glossing over your perceptions. Your mind begins tweaking the facts a little to make up for the forgotten bits. It is a sign of age sister." Sinistra ripped the chunk of hot fresh bread included on the tray in half and stuck it in the bowl to soak. "Not so much for you of course but once you get up there in years it becomes harder to ignore."

"Hmm?" Cherish looked up from a page in a large tome she had moved to make way for his meal. "I'm sorry brother I was just reading here...Abbess Constance was a Companion?" She asked in slight disbelief. Sinistra chewed a tender piece of venison slowly before answering,  
"Oh yes. Rather celebrated one too, as I understand it. She managed to stop a necromancer from unleashing a horde of corpses with a few falmer mixed in from ransacking the mage's college." He took another bite relishing not only in it's flavor but the look of incredulity on her soft features.  
"How did such a fearsome woman like her even get nominated?"  
Sinistra thought about whether the late abbess would object to the truth, it wasn't really anything so torrid really. Just a simple matter of incessant natterings from her family to marry a prominent member of imperial society or join the abbey. After a moment of thought which he disguised as chewing he answered lightly. "Abbot Merryweather felt that a woman of her courage and skill would not back down from the challenge of living a humble and quiet life of peace. Much to the Greenwoods' benefit she didn't." Cherish looked as if she knew the answer was incomplete but she accepted it with a shrug, and resumed flipping through the pages, scanning for other little morsels of gossip. An adult's hobby he thought to himself, his earlier reminiscence brought to focus just how much has changed. He remembered the day Constance passed on to the lighted valley of Sovngarde. The then sister Teagan clutching her hand, face wet and back ridged, trying to be the pillar of strength Constance now asked her to become. Two years...that's all it took for that vivacious teenager to become as loved and essential as the walls around the grounds. Teagan became a full member within the first year and when the late abbess's health began to decline a year later she was nominated by Constance, as is traditional, to succeed her. Sinistra felt that she could not have made a better choice. 16 years old she became the youngest Abbess in the history of Greenwood.

"Then the purple skeevers jumped the fence and ate my goats!" Cherish's voice broke the nostalgic reverie and he jumped a little from the shock of it. "You weren't listening to a word I said." She said, a smile snuck across her face as she tried to give him a severe look.  
"I'm sorry dear, age and all. What was it?"  
"Mother abbess wanted to speak with you once you've finished eating. Im sure she wanted to discuss the dibbun's Mid-Summer play." She stood up and started towards the door, she called back in an exasperated tone, "I've got to go help with the preparations for berry picking. We're taking them out into the forest. See you brother." After she had left and Sinistra gathered the remnants of his meal on the tray he stood to leave himself. He took a moment to pray for all those who were unlucky enough to be chosen and a hasty thanks for being excluded, he exited the gate house with tray in hand.


	3. Chapter 3

The abbey stood at the north end of the Greenwood forest, a strip of mountainous woodland between Falkreath and Riften that extended down to and past the Cyrodiil border. It was often referred to as the unofficial hold of Skyrim, receiving the same status of independance as High Hrothgar. Indeed it was due to the Greybeard's influence that the abbey was afforded this privilege,as it was they who requested the space from the high king many years ago. People would often travel the steps to ask for their help and guidance, to seek refuge, it became too much for them as they preferred to spend most of their time in quiet contemplation. The abbey was built and manned to act as a sort of emissary on their behalf. They did only so much as to provide the materials and land and from then on, washed their hands of it completely.

Sinistra left the stuffy heat of the gatehouse into the breezy heat of the grounds and as he walked farther away from the main gate down the worn gravel path he felt a little cooler. The high dark stone wall drank the sunlight almost greedily and radiated it's warmth. He came upon two large canvas tents which were temporary lodgings for the Stormrages and Chirllows whose families were too large to accommodate within the abbey. (the Mistbrooks were only three) The sound of gravel crunching beneath his feet echoed off the abbey as he got closer, it mingled with the sound of Sister Kasayee's sibilant voice as he rounded the corner. The middle aged argonian woman was standing beneath a shade tree planted close to the entrance with all twenty-five children sitting in front of her on the ground, each with a stick of charcoal and parchment tacked onto flat boards. Being all of varying age the lessons were a little more relaxed. The older students helping the younger was the greatest advantage to having so many of them. Kasayee was teaching the tale of the Hakon One-Eye, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, Felldir the Old and the banishment of Alduin, her audience was either taking notes or drawing pictures of the scene she described.

"Brother." He turned around to see Brother Olokun leaning in the doorframe watching the class. He too wore a green tunic but his was sleeveless. The olive skinned orsimer smiled in greeting, his trimmed and blunted fangs were one of the few changes he had made since his induction as Dibbun Wrangler. He had allowed his once bald head to grow a dark tall mohawk all the way down to the back of his neck where the length was gathered together into a ponytail. He was still a head and a half taller than anyone else and a few lines creased his face but on a whole it seems Akatosh had left him well enough alone. "Out of the gatehouse finally, you've been in there all day! Taking naps?"

"Who can sleep in this heat?" Sinistra said wearily and stepped into the shadow of the doorway.

"I was looking through the records trying to find an account of a similar summer, and when it finally started to rain again. I've only got the volumes going back to Abbot Mortimer there and wasn't able to find anything. I'll have to check the accounts stored in the archives I think." He continued down the short passageway leaning against the wall until his eyes could adjust to the dimmer light. Olokun followed him, the deep resonating voice bouncing off the walls as he replied.

"It'll rain when it's ready to, the sky can't hold out for much longer."

"We can only hope I suppose." The end of the passageway opened out into the high ceilinged dining hall. Several long tables laid in rows within its center and light fell from the many narrow windows that ran down the length of the wall. A few stragglers from lunch lounged at the tables sipping tea and chatting, one group was engaged in a game of 'Hazard', a complicated dice game that usually involved betting. There was a larger group of seven that were packing bags with spare clothing, snacks, aid bundles and canteens. They were dressed in the traveling cloaks that marked them as part of the Greenwood covenant and carried full quivers and bows, the hunting party lead by Sister Ginril. They were preparing for their 2 day 3 night trip into the forest. Ginril looked toward the two as they entered, as a bosmer she had superb hearing and undoubtedly heard the sound of Olokun's voice, she smiled widely and her ears twitched ever so slightly when her eyes landed on him.

"Brothers! Come to wish us luck?" she said with a fleeting glance at Sinistra before locking eyes once more onto Olokun's face.

"Of course we all wish you the best of luck. Perhaps you might come across a wild boar, they are quite lean this time of year." He said with a sheepish smile to the obviously smitten elf. The green skin on Olokun's face turned a purplish color and in a nervous tone he added,

"Don't take too many risks, we want you to come back safely more than with game." He met her eyes only briefly which caused the purplish color to darken.

"There's room for one more if you want to come along." She breathed hopefully.

"No, I'm part of the foraging party today. Someone's gotta make sure the dibbuns have a little fun." Gilrin looked a little disappointed but recovered quickly and shouldered her pack. She gave Brother Sinistra a nodd of farewell and fixed Olokun with a determined stare and placed a hand on his shoulder,

"Next time then." And with a flirtatious smile she lead the party out of the hall to the grounds. Sinistra looked up into the face of a man who seemed both extremely happy and mortally afraid he laughed a little.

"You should take her up on it one of these days Brother, you both like eachother that's obvious to everyone."

"It would be inappropriate." Olokun said quickly the color returning to normal.

"Nonsense! There's nothing inappropriate about it. Brothers and Sisters of our order have often found companionship and comfort within our walls. Some have even married and had children, it's not as if it's forbidden" Sinistra said supportively.

"That's not what I mean. I'm an orc, she's an elf, what would people say." He stared at the floor feeling shameful for even thinking about it.

"Well I can tell you for sure that not a single person here would mind. Well apart from Brother Synod, but his is only a passing fancy. Anyone else who has a problem with it isn't worth worrying about." After this elicited no response Sinistra sighed quietly, "At least think about?"

"Brother Sinistra!" A musical voice called out from the kitchens on the side of the hall. Abbess Teagan shut the bottom half of the stable style door and moved toward them. She also wore a green tunic but preferred a long flowing skirt to trousers. A long silk sash of dark green embroidered with gold and brown thread was slung around her shoulders, a replacement for the belt worn by the others. She was slender in frame and lithe in movement as she strode across the hall, untying the thin leather thong that held her hair back, which fell in a dark wave around her face. "Brother Olokun, are you alright? You don't look well." She said the honey brown eyes meeting his black ones with a concerned gaze. " Why don't you go to Sister Hilde before you go out with the dibbuns?" Olokun stood a little straighter, trying and failing to put on a convincing smile.

"I'm just fine Mother Abbess, I was just thinking about...some things." He paused momentarily, he did not wish to discuss the Gilrin topic anylonger. "I should get back to the dibbuns there lesson will be over soon and I can't wait to tell them the good news!" Not entirely convinced Teagan kept a shrewd eye on him as she spoke.

"Well If you are sure." she paused, "Just make sure to keep an eye on Palin, he's a little too quiet for my liking."

"Of course" Olokun said simply, he declined his head a little into a sort of bow and left the hall.  
As the Abbess watched him leave she muttered in a low voice meant for Sinistra's ears alone.

"I wish they wouldn't bow."

"It comes with the territory I'm afraid dear." He said setting his used tray down onto a cart full dishes on it's way to the kitchens.

"None of the elders did it after I asked you all to stop." She complained and looked at him with a slightly exasperated smile.

" It's easier for those of us who knew you as a Sister first." Changing the topic he continued. "But I was told you wanted to see me. Something about the mid-summer play?"

"Yes, well no. I did want to see you but Megara has volunteered for that this year. I was hoping I could get your help in my study. My bookcase could use some of your careful tending." Teagan said pointedly. Sinistra seemed puzzled but only for a moment.

"Of course, would you like me to do it now.?" Something was certainly up. He knew that the Abbess was perfectly capable of organizing a bookshelf. On top of that her study was one of the doors that remained constantly locked, even while in use. No one was allowed in there.

"Please. If you could spare the time." She held out her arm and Sinistra took it in his own. Together they made their way down the length of the dining hall to another passageway much longer than the first. They passed the stairs to the dormitories, the infirmary, the baths and the Abbess's quarters which were never used, Teagan preferring to sleep on the cot in her study. Once they had reached the end of the hall she removed her arm to fish out a key ring from the pocket of her tunic and unlocked the door. Pushing it open only wide enough to enter single file she allowed him to enter first.

Sinistra had been in this room many times when Constance had been Abbess but only a few under Teagan's tenure. The extensive bookcase lined the right side and was jammed packed with tomes and scrolls of varying size and degrees of weatheredness. Directly in front of him was another wall filled with shelves of knick-knacks and other useful items. The cot and small chest (the only additions Teagan had made) sat in the corner next to the small heater whose chimney led outside to the grounds. On the left was a large pine desk that gave the room a heady but pleasant scent, behind it a large curved window. Sitting in the chair at the desk was a red-haired man in leather armour. His comfortable, laissez faire attitude spoke of his lack of understanding the austerity and privilege of sitting where he did.

When Teagan entered he got to is feet and walked around the desk. "That was fast." A smooth, heavy accent rolled over the words, placing him as a native of Skyrim's northern regions. She motioned for him to sit in one of the two chairs in front of the desk and guided Sinistra to the softer one.

"Brother Sinistra this is an old friend of Gideon's and mine, Brynjolf."

"Well met friend." Sinistra greeted him cordially with a smile. Visitors to the Abbey were common though they usually came through the main gate and there was the customary fussing and pampering that preceded a welcoming feast. He tried to look unconcerned at the appearance of a stranger in a locked room, Teagan however picked up on his unease.

"Brynjolf is a man who values discretion and felt that the nature of his visit...the visit itself… should not be made public to the others." She said tactfully as she sat down opposite them and took a bottle of mead and three glasses out from the cabinet at the bottom of the desk . She poured a measure of yellow liquid into each glass before distributing them.

"Aye, the safety and security of Greenwood is top priority to any and all who call themselves a child of Skyrim." Brynjolf said and raised his glass in thanks before sipping gratefully. Sinistra watched him with a shrewd expression while sipping from his own, trying to decipher the meaning behind his words.

"What Brynjolf _means_ to say…" Teagan said sternly eyeing the red-haired man "...is that there are some who would not look favorably upon his presence here." Brynjolf grinned slyly and looked as if he wanted to speak but held his tongue.

"I see" Sinistra took another sip and set his glass onto the desk. "I take it your visit has something to do with me."

Brynjolf took a moment to gather his thoughts into what he hoped was a satisfactory request.

"I 've been hired for a job and have been asked to look into the whereabouts and past movements of an Imperial official and a Thalmor observer." Brynjolf said and looked to Teagan as if waiting for her to contradict his choice in words. She remained silent so he continued. "Since you are the Abbey's recorder I thought that you would know or have the ability to find the information I'm looking for. Greenwood is right along the border and gets many travelers, as it is the safest route between Cyrodiil and Skyrim. Many stop here to visit and rest on their journeys and they bring with them news and gossip." Again he looked to Teagan, her face held an almost grim anticipation. She had not touched her mead, the glass sat in her cupped hands as she stared at it.

"I see." Sinistra said again thoughtfully and picked up his glass to buy himself time. All this secrecy made him uncomfortable, being asked to provide specific information concerning the Thalmor and Cyrodiil, particularly given the tumultuous state of affairs seemed unwise. What's more, the one seeking the information has already admitted he intends to use it for profit. He also seems to have the trust and acceptance of the Abbess, and of Gideon. He looked at her now, and saw grim creases in her forehead. She could've ordered him to help this man but instead allowed him to make the choice. Teagan has never before omitted information from him...the others yes, on occasion, but himself not once.

He decided to trust in his Abbess and after draining the last of his mead said finally, "What would you like to know?" A low whoosh of relief came from Teagan who had unknowingly held her breath. The two men looked at her in mild surprise, she stiffened then reddened and quickly gulped her mead to hide her embarrassment. Brynjolf smiled again and addressed Sinistra.

"I'm looking for information on an Altmer woman named Palenn Granoth, she was dispatched to Solitude with a representative from Cyrodiil about 18 years after the Great War." He leaned down and removed a folded piece of parchment from his boot "the exact dates are there." he laid it on the desk and continued "They were, officially, meant to meet and formally greet a young Torygg when he returned from High Rock where he and his mother were living." Sinistra lifted and unfolded the parchment. It included the woman's name and a few dates some eleven years ago as well as a few from as early as nine. "From all the accounts I could find the meeting did not go well. Torygg left Solitude and went to Dawnstar where he kept a home of sorts for the next couple of years till Istold died and he was chosen by the moot as High King."

"I remember Constance mentioning something on the matter once." Sinistra said thinking hard. "An old comrade of hers was rather friendly with one of the palace maids at the time. From what I remember, Torygg was angry at his mother and left her to live with Istold. It's not clear what he was angry about but when the empire's representative showed up he got even angrier."

"Do you know why he left?" Brynjolf asked quickly, he seemed surprised that Sinistra was able to recall such an offhanded event so quickly.

"I'll have to check Scully's volumes, he was recorder around that time." He borrowed a quill from Teagan's desk and jotted down a few notes on the piece of parchment Brynjolf had given him. "You want all that we have on record of the incident?" He asked replacing the quill.

"Aye, that would be helpful but I'm more concerned with Palenn's movements after the fact. Weather she, her imperial counterpart, or anyone connected to them tried to contact Torygg while he was in Dawnstar or while he visited the other holds."

Sinistra nodded and stood slowly, " I'll see what I can find, though it will take me sometime." The question he wanted to ask was hidden in his words. Brynjolf smiled again and almost chuckled as he replied.

"I'll be leaving shortly, but I will be around this way again by next week. Will that be enough time?"

"I should think so." He gave the northerner one last appraising look, "Well then Mother Abbess with your leave I'll get started." Teagan nodded and stood as well to walk Sinistra to the door.

"Thank you Brother, please do." As they moved closer to the door Teagan hesitated momentarily before speaking again. "If anyone should ask…"

"Your bookcase is nearly organized Mother Abbess." He said loudly talking over her, "I must say I'm surprised at you to let it get that bad before doing something about it." He said with a wink and pulled open the door.

"Thank you." She said quietly and shut the door behind him re-locking it, leaving Teagan and Brynjolf alone the former still standing with her forehead pressed against the smooth unyielding wood. Another sigh of relief bounced off the door and ruffled the hair around her face.

"Why so nervous lass?" Brynjolf leaned back as comfortable as possible in the chair and went to put his feet up on the desk realizing a moment later where he was and the respect due, he put them down and decided instead to stand and lean against the desk. "That went very well I thought" Teagan turned around, arms crossed in front of her. Recognizing her usual signs of unease he attempted to soothe her. "He didn't seem the least bit upset with you." She nodded but kept her guarded stance.

"It just feel so wrong. Sneaking around, acting shifty…" She crossed the space to sit in the chair Sinistra had just vacated her shoulders slumped a little. "...lying." The last word sounded as though it was pulled unwillingly from her throat.

"There may have been some omission but I did not lie." Brynjolf said encouragingly.

Teagan's head snapped up to meet his eyes, "An omission is still a lie Bryn!" she said forcefully and stood her arms at her sides again she began to pace. "Sithis take it! What am I doing?" She mumbled angrily to herself. "You do realize the only reason we have any information to give you at all is because those that give it trust us to keep it!" She stopped her pacing in front of the small chest and stared hard at Brynjolf. "We have always been, are and must remain neutral in any and all conflicts. That is the only way we can help as much as we do. We are an order of peace."

"Are you really afraid of me telling anyone where I got the information from?" He said in a patronizing tone.

"Of course not," She snapped "But we...I would be responsible for the resulting consequences of using that information."

"I wouldn't worry your pretty little head about that lass. Gideon's the one that asked for it." He said while pouring himself more mead.

"I'd feel a lot better about it all if you'd just tell me why you guys want to know." Teagan asked in a softer tone. Brynjolf grimaced and replied in a small apologetic voice.

"Can't Teags. Orders from the top."

"The top! The top, YOU ARE THE TOP DAMN IT! YOU'RE GUILD MASTER AREN'T YOU!" Teagan took several steps forward while Brynjolf took several backwards until he ran into one of the chairs

"Gideon's orders lass."

"Oh yeah, Gideon ordered you!"

Brynjolf lifted both hands up in surrender, the mead sloshing out of the glass. "All right, he requested. When an ex-guild master cum Dragonborn makes a request you don't very well ignore it."

Teagan breathed hard and glared at him for a moment and then with every appearance of wanting to hit him she sat forcfully in one of the two chairs and said mulishly. "I do!"

Brynjolf, feeling safe again also sat and leaned his forearms on his legs and cradled the glass in his hand. " And I'll bet the guild's vault you're the only one who'd get away with it too." He watched her as she stared out of the tall curved window, her soft, lightly tanned skin shone brightly in the sunlight and her full pink lips pursed together in a defiant sort of look. A pang of guilt caused him to look away, she was beautiful she had always been, even now in her anger. Brynjolf had never had a longing for someone before, usually he'd have wooed and cajoled her by now but none of his tactics would've worked. But that wasn't the only reason he restrained himself. Gideon was the best friend he'd ever had, probably the only true friend, he respected him and couldn't bear to break the bond between them. Teagan loved that bear of a man and he loved her, there was no room for Brynjolf.

"You haven't heard from him?" She pulled her gaze from the window and turned it to him with pleading eyes. His heart skipped a beat and he felt the need to brush the hair from her face, instead he squeezed his glass to prevent his hands from fulfilling its masters wish.

"No, last I spoke to him was just a week after he left here. I know he was headed north to Winterhold, there was a dragon up that way hiding out. He asked me to look into Granoth just before he left, and that he should be back in time to go with you when you went to Falkreath." He leaned back to put some distance between them.

"But that's tomorrow already." She too leaned back "We've always gone to father's grave together, he's never left it this late before." Gabriell, Teagan's father, had always treated him as part of the family so naturally he would wish to pay his respects on the anniversary of his death. He also, Brynjolf knew, did not like the idea of Teagan leaving the borders of Greenwood by herself.  
"I thought about waiting this year. There's a lot of work to be done, just keeping the gardens watered is a task and a half. But Melliot, Sinistra and the others said they could handle it for a day or two" Her mouth curved into a smile and she rested her arms on the chair's "Wonderful people."

Gods he loved her smile, if he could he would spend the rest of his days here and in Sovngarde keeping that lovely look on her face. "Im sure they can. You should go, even if Gideon doesn't show." Forgetting his determination to keep his hands to himself he placed one on hers after the smile was replaced by a furrowed brow. "I'm sure he's alright. He's _Dovahkiin_ , slayer of Alduin."

"Yeah and I'm quite convinced he used the luck of ten men that day to come back alive. I'm worried one of these times luck is gonna run out on him when he needs it most." He gave her hand a small squeeze.

"Nothing would keep him away from you for too long Teags. You think he'd allow himself to die and let you fall for someone else. Not bloody likely." He had a hard time keeping the bitterness out of his voice but Teagan did not seem to notice, she place her other hand on his and gave it a small squeeze back. The warmth he felt at her touch did not end at his wrist as it ought to have.

"Thanx Bryn." She stood up and Brynjolf let her hand go reluctantly savoring the warm feeling for as long as possible. Again the pang of guilt struck but he tried to ignore it, he was allowed to dream at least. She went over to the wall of shelves and pulled down a long box. "I have something I'd like you to give to Vex for me." She said and pulled out a blue dolls dress. "She's about due now right?"

Brynjolf grumbled in his chair "Aye, two months and they can't come soon enough. I thought she was hard to deal with before but a pregnant Vex is a force of nature that Nocturnal herself couldn't stop." He watched Teagan as she wrapped the dress in a soft bark cloth and tied it closed with a piece of twine. "Delvin keeps trying though, he's finally convinced her to take a break from guild work. He's not allowed in the house at the moment and he's sporting several 'love taps' as he calls them but he says that it was worth it."

"Well you tell her that it's best if the father is present for the birth, i'm quite sure she'll want him there in the end. If they'd like they are more than welcome here for a while. It can be quite difficult as first timers they could use a hand, or forty. We seem to have amassed quite a few of them these past few months." Brynjolf stood and walked around the desk to grab his traveling pack and placed the package to Vex inside it.

"I'll tell her but I don't think she'll want to, she hates to travel. But I should be going got a lot to do and you do have your hands full." He threw his pack over one shoulder and turned to the window. "See you next week? Same time?" He asked.

Teagan seemed a little less than happy to hear of his departure and that made him feel quite cheerful indeed. "Yes, but hold on for about fifteen minutes. I'm gonna make sure that your way is clear. And use the south gate I'll come around and lock it later." She took a couple of steps forward and gave him a quick hug. It was over before Brynjolf could respond in anyway and he was just a little more than dazed from the experience. "I'm worried about your luck too you know." She said.

Recovering quickly he flashed another one of his sly grins. "I don't need any lass."

"Well all the same...Stay safe." And she walked to the door and exited the room. A few moments after the soft click of the lock and retreating footsteps, he moved to the side of the window to hide himself behind the drapes and waited.

He mumbled quietly to himself, nursing the rising warmth that had nothing to do about the sun. "You could worry a bit more."


	4. Chapter 4

(Writer's Note: I'm sorry if this seems kinda slow but it will pick up.)

Teagan left the Abbey by way of the door in the baths, which lead out to the pond at the south end of the grounds. No one was around it now, the crops having been watered earlier that day, but there were two Argonians, Beem-Shei and Kasayee. She knew where the latter was but had not seen Beem-Shei since breakfast. Picking up a few pebbles from the path that circled the building she walked to the edge of the pond and tossed them lightly as far into the center as possible. This was the usual way to call their attention should they be fishing or taking a nap in the cool water at the bottom. After a few moments of silence Teagan was satisfied that it was empty save for the trout and salmon swimming in it's depths. Walking west It took only a few minutes to reach the south gate and unlock it, she then turned north to check the gardens and orchard. By the time she made it to the northwest corner where her study window was she had encountered no one and as she passed it she gave the window three sharp taps and continued on.

By the time she had reached the front gates it was clear the dibbuns have been informed of the day's plans for them. The exuberance was palpable, they ran in circles around the adults in charge, gathering in small groups each carrying a woven basket. Most of the Abbey dwellers were out to wish them farewell. Teagan laughed quietly to herself at the scene it was chaos, Olokun at the head of the group had managed to get half of them standing still one of the Stormrage triplets on his shoulders. He called out in a booming voice.  
"Mother Abbess, come to see us off?" That seemed to do the trick, the others that were still running around stopped in their tracks and looked at her. She'd always loved children and tried to spend as much time as possible with them, but with all the work to be done lately she hasn't been able to. The newer additions were still a little nervous around her and they usually shuffled their feet, heads down when she would approach.

"Of course. Such an important quest as this, I had to wish them the best of luck." An idea struck her, to buy Brynjolf time and to give the dibbuns encouragement to behave themselves she decided a speech would be just the ticket. She walked quickly to the front of the line next to Olokun and cleared her throat.

"Friends gather round please I have something i'd like to say." Everyone within earshot including Sister Gwenmor, the resident blacksmith hammering away on her anvil left the heat of her forge to listen. Most of the dibbuns stood relatively still waiting for the Abbess to speak,  
" Good. Now as you all know the foraging party members have already been selected and to those that were not chosen this time please do not feel bad. The selection process was very difficult and we could only send the very best on such a daring and noble quest." Several smiles from the dibbuns grew even larger if it were possible. The notion that they were the best of the best caused a great swelling of chests and straightening of spines. "For those of you gathered here let me be the first to formally congratulate you. Your brave hearts and respect for the chain of command with serve you well." She paused for effect.

"Your quest, is to go forth into the wood and scour every bush, branch and vine for the ripest, biggest, juiciest berries you can find and bring them back here. Where they will be made into tarts, preserves, pies, cordials and…" another pause, "The largest Woodland Pudding the likes of which have never before been seen within our walls!" Unable to contain themselves at the thought of such luxury a few of the dubbins whooped and jumped in place.  
" I know it is not any easy task we ask of you. But it is necessary, we all have faith in you, faith, that you will not only complete your quest but that you will do so in a manner that befits a member of the Greenwood family. We have faith that you will bring honor to this Abbey and by so doing, honor to yourselves."

" For the love of...it's just berry picking." One of the older children whispered to her friend but Sister Megara shushed them quickly.

"Are you ready?!" Teagan called out and a mixture of 'Yes ma'am' and 'Yes Abbess' rent the air. She nodded approvingly and faced Olokun. "Brother Olokun!"

"Yes Abbess!" Playing along he called out in true parade ground fashion. She noticed that he was having a hard time keeping a straight face.

"Take charge of your party and lead them out."

"Yes Abbess" He called again and turned about face, the young boy on his shoulders wobbled slightly. "Foraging party line up two by two, helpers disperse yourself amongst the lines . It took several minutes for the group to get organized once they had he yelled out "We march on my mark. Ready?" A loud ringing chorus answered 'Yes brother'.

"Aaaaaaannnnd...March!"

The group of dibbuns and helpers marched along in Olokun's wake to the open main gate. Sigur Mistbrook who had elected to stay behind allowing his wife the honor of being 'chosen', raised his right hand to his forehead and added to the play,"Greenwood salute." A mass of movement from the rest followed suit. When the part had left and disappeared out of sight all of those left behind, Abbess included, fell into a fit of giggles for several minutes.

"Did you see Cala's face?" Friar Caleb sputtered, bent over with his hands on his knees. " She was so red, thought she was a berry herself. Won't be too pleased with you tonight Sigur, 'Greenwood salute' indeed, priceless."

"Ach, we're allowed a bit of fun too." He said straightening up and patted Sister Hilde on the shoulder who was chuckling and holding her side. The infirmary matron, though a pleasant and cheerful woman did not often give in to raucous laughter. "You gonna live there Sister?"

"Don't worry about me, I'll be just fine." The sound of laughter quieted and people started to wander back to their tasks and chatted amiably to one another. All but Hilde, Teagan and Sinistra who'd slipped in behind the Abbess halfway through her speech.

"What did you think Brother?" She asked him as casually as she could, she still felt uncomfortable about the scene in her study and had a hard time hiding it.

"That you'd have made a good general in another life." He replied smoothly with a grin and addressed Hilde next, he held out a roll of sealed parchment to her. "Sister, I was hoping you'd do me a favor on your way to Riften today."

"Oh aye?" She said questioningly and took it from him.

"You're going today?" Teagan said surprised. "You don't usually go till the end of the season." Twice a year the infirmary matron would visit the orphanage to give check-ups and advise on care, once in the warm seasons and once in the cold.

"Usually yes. But it's been so hot lately, I want to make sure those dibbuns at Honorhall are being taken care of properly. Constance is a capable woman but she is young and fairly new at it. Still, she's a right side better than that poor excuse for a Nord Grelod." She said disdainfully. "Don't mind telling you, I'm grateful to the one that dispatched her the gates of oblivion. 'Grelod the Kind', 'Grelod the Cur' is more like it." Hilde held her hand up to he mouth and with a guilty voice said "Sorry Mother Abbess, pardon the curse."

"I didn't hear a thing." Teagan too felt that cur was an applicable name for such a wretched soul as Grelod. If Jarl Laila (at the time) had allowed it, Teagan would have taken all the dibbuns and Constance to the Abbey, but Laila was too attached to the stipend given from Solitude for keeping the orphanage. The best she could do was ask that Brynjolf remind Grelod of her obligation to feed and clothe them and express his displeasure should he find any marks of abuse on them.

Glossing over the bashings of the old matron Teagan changed topic. "Well if you're going today you'd better leave soon. After the Rift was taken it's a little more dangerous to walking about at night, even for one of us." She thought back to Melliot's story of his trip to Ivarstead a month ago. He was stopped and questioned for 2 hours by a Stormcloak patrol, brought to the camp to be question by the platoon commander. Thankfully he recognized Melliot and ordered his men to let him go and gave him a bag of septims in apology.  
It was a startling revelation that even the traveling cloaks were not enough proof of identity, people are seeing spies and smugglers everywhere.

"Ach, I'll be fine, no need to worry. What did you want me to do with this Brother?" She wiggled the scroll in her hand.

" I was hoping that you could give that to Raave when you go through Shor's Watch. He's wanted to know our pesticide mixture for over a season now and I keep forgetting to send it to him." He said with a small look at Teagan who shuffled uncomfortably, he'd found something already and was looking for confirmation, she thought and had a twinge of regret at including yet another member of her family in her seedy business.

"Will do brother. Im almost done packing, I've made up a few extra tonics for you Mother Abbess and we are a little low on hanging moss but you should do fine for a couple of days." Teagan would be temporary Infirmary matron whilst Hilde was away.

"Thank you Sister we'll be fine too. Could you take Klepper out this time...he's been a bit restless after his leg healed up and working the crops hasn't been stimulating enough for him?"

"Sure, I can at that. He'll get enough exercise for two horses I'll wager."

"Good, I'll send Brother Lygradd to get him geared up for you, he can check over the water barrels in the sty and stables while he's at it." The space inside the grounds was not well suited to farm animals so a small enclosure was made just outside the east wall. They've had to add on to it due to the abandoned horses along their borders their riders either dying in battle or deserting. Thankfully they did not hold too the ideologies of their branding, Stormcloak and Imperial horses got along just fine.

Hilde walked back towards the Abbey and Teagan murmured out of the corner of her mouth.  
"Didn't Raave get that recipe at the festival last year?"

Brother Sinistra winked and said loudly. "How about a stroll along the wall tops Abbess?" Without waiting for her response her turned around and went slowly to the walltop stairs. He definitely found something, she thought, and followed him. Once they'd reached the top and put a few hundred feet between the main gate and themselves he spoke in a quiet tone. "I've found a few mentions of the late High King Torygg and his Father Istold's fight. But it didn't go into much detail. I did learn that the argument had something to do with Torygg's mother. There were some accusations on her….fidelity, during her stay in High Rock." He said the last part delicately.

"So Torygg might not be Istold's son?" Teagan asked forgetting to quiet herself.

"No. Not at all, it was after his birth that Istold sent them away to live with his cousin in High Rock." Keeping his voice low he continued. "The accusations didn't go anywhere and were hushed up pretty quickly. There is record of Palenn Granoth but she did not pass through here nor did Gavin Prichard the Empire's representative but that comrade of Abbess Constance I mentioned used to come by frequently before he died. He told her that they were sent to deal with that situation."

She was very surprised at how much he'd been able to get out of the records in the scant hour or so since he left her study. "Their solution was to kick Torygg out and pretend it didn't happen?"

"That was the result but I think, this is just speculation, that Torygg was upset and wanted some form of retribution, Istold decided a diplomatic approach would suffice, i'm sure that's what Prichard wanted and Granoth was there to make sure any agreement made fell within the confines of the White Gold Concordat. Now Granoth did not come through here, she and Prichard left south shortly afterward, but for those few years after the incident there was a lot of movement through the woods. I was just a simple initiate then, just after my farm was taken for back taxes , so I spent most of my time inside the grounds but Scully's record mentions a lone Bosmer who passed by at least twice a season. He never stopped to chat or take respite, and always came from the east. I assume that if he was coming from Dawnstar the best route to take would be through Ivarstead. He'd most likely go through Shor's Watch if he was trying to avoid people. Im hoping Raave remembers seeing him, he was just a lad back then." They had stopped walking just short of the northeast corner. Teagan tried to look at Sinistra to say thank you for all that he'd done so far but couldn't take her eyes off the battlements. Shame welled up and pushed at her insides, this is what she asked him to do but she didn't think that he'd get so much already. Why in Sithis name did Gideon want to know any of this. His first responsibility is to deal with the dragons, not get himself...all of us involved in the politics of this ridiculous war.

Sinistra seemed to understand some of her feelings, he put his hand around her shoulders and pulled her into a half hug. "Look what ever this is about, I know you would not have asked me if you didn't think it was important." With his free hand he lifted her chin a little to look her in the eye. "Whatever is important to you is important to us as well, we all trust that you have our best interests in mind as well as the interests of those that need our help the most. Be at peace child." He said kindly.

Teagan put her arms around him under the arms and gave him a tight squeeze, "Thanks Sinny" She said affectionately and stood there for a moment before they parted, both surreptitiously wiping their eyes.

"Well you've got a lot of work to do eh? 'A Woodland Pudding the like of which have never been seen' That's gonna put quite the strain on Caleb and the others in the kitchen." He said starting back towards the steps.

Teagan regained her composure and followed him "Well, they'll have lots of help, Im sure the dibbuns will want to be a part of it."


End file.
